Post-Storm Tree Inspection in Sydney
What to look at safely once the weather has passed.
Sydney tree care guide
Storm Tree Preparation in Sydney
Storms are part of life in Sydney. The wind picks up, the rain comes in sideways, and the trees around your home take the load. A lot of storm damage is not caused by a freak event — it is caused by a branch, a tree or a blocked gutter that was already a problem before the storm arrived.
This guide explains what you can look at yourself before storm weather, what is worth booking in early, and where the line sits between sensible home preparation and tree work that needs a professional crew.
Start with a simple walk around your property
You do not need any special knowledge to do a useful first check. Walk around your yard on a calm, dry day and look up.
Note anything that would matter if it came down in strong wind:
- branches hanging over the roof, the driveway, a pool, a shed or the neighbour's fence;
- dead or bare branches still sitting in the canopy;
- branches that have grown close to the house, a window or an outdoor area you use;
- a tree that has started to lean, or ground that has lifted near the base;
- large limbs growing out over a footpath, road or play area.
Take a photo of anything that concerns you, as long as you can do it safely from the ground. Photos make it much easier for us to understand the tree, and they give you a record of what it looked like before the storm.
Do all of this from the ground. Do not climb, do not use a ladder to reach branches, and stay well clear of anything near powerlines.
What NSW SES asks households to do before a storm
The NSW State Emergency Service publishes storm preparation advice for households. Its guidance includes trimming trees and branches that could fall on your home or property, cleaning gutters, downpipes and drains so they do not block, fixing roof damage such as broken or missing tiles, securing or putting away items that could blow around in strong wind, and checking that your insurance is current.
That advice is worth reading in full and following. Two of those items — the tree work and the gutters — are the ones we are asked about most.
Book planned tree work before the weather turns, not during it
Pruning that reduces the weight and sail area of a canopy, clearing branches away from a roofline, and taking down a tree that is already failing are all planned jobs. They are much easier to organise on a quiet week than in the middle of a storm run, when everyone is calling at once.
If your walk-around turned up branches over the house or a canopy that has grown out of shape, that is planned pruning work. A larger reduction or clearance job is Tree Lopping Sydney, and a tree that needs to come out altogether is Tree Removal Sydney. Targeted branch work is Tree Pruning Sydney.
Clear the gutters and the ground while you are at it
Storm damage is not only about branches. Leaves and twigs in the gutters mean water backs up and goes where it should not. Loose green waste on the ground becomes something the wind can throw.
- Clear gutters and downpipes, or book a gutter clean, before heavy rain.
- Move the pile of prunings, branches and clippings off the lawn. We can take away eligible material as Green Waste Removal Sydney.
- Put away or tie down outdoor furniture, bins, umbrellas and trampolines.
Know what to leave alone
Some things are simply not homeowner jobs, no matter how tempting it looks with a storm on the way.
- Anything near a powerline. Do not prune, poke or clear vegetation near powerlines. If a tree or branch is touching or close to a line, contact your electricity distributor.
- Anything you need a ladder, a chainsaw or a roof for. Working at height with a cutting tool takes away your ability to balance and react.
- A tree that is already leaning or lifting. Cutting a limb off a loaded, unstable tree can make it worse.
Electricity distributor contacts: Ausgrid 13 13 88; Endeavour Energy 131 003. In a life-threatening situation call Triple Zero 000.
Want the risky branches dealt with before the next storm?
Tell us your suburb, which tree it is, what the branches sit over. We will prepare a free quote for the tree work you need.
Make a simple storm plan for the property
Preparation is not only tree work. Write down, or save in your phone:
- where your water, gas and power shut-offs are;
- your electricity distributor's fault number;
- NSW SES on 132 500 for storm and flood help, and 000 for a life-threatening emergency;
- your insurer's claim number and policy details;
- which trees you already know are a concern, with photos and dates.
If a storm does hit, that list saves you a lot of scrambling.
What to do if a storm arrives before the work is done
Stay inside and away from windows. Do not go out to look at a tree during a storm. Once it is safe to go outside, look before you walk — a hanging branch or a lifted root plate is far more dangerous than it looks.
If a tree has come down, a large limb is hanging, or a tree is leaning on a structure, that is emergency work and not something to approach. Our Emergency Tree Services Sydney page explains what to do, and Post-Storm Tree Inspection Sydney covers what you can safely check once the weather has passed.
Preparation cannot promise a storm-proof tree
We will be straight with you: no amount of preparation makes a tree storm-proof. A healthy, well-maintained tree in good ground can still fail in a severe storm. What sensible preparation does is remove the problems you already know about — the dead limb, the overhanging branch, the blocked gutter — so the storm has less to work with.
Anyone promising you a guaranteed outcome from a storm is promising something they cannot control.
Frequently asked questions
Earlier is better. Planned pruning and removals are easier to book when crews are not responding to storm callouts. If you already know a branch is a problem, deal with it while the weather is calm.
Look from the ground for dead or hanging branches, limbs over the roof or driveway, a new lean, lifted soil near the base and branches rubbing on the house. Photograph anything that concerns you.
Small, easily reached garden pruning is a homeowner job. Anything that needs a ladder, a chainsaw, roof access or work near a powerline is not. Tell us what the branches are near and we will quote the work.
Do not touch it or work near it. Contact your electricity distributor — Ausgrid on 13 13 88 or Endeavour Energy on 131 003. In a life-threatening situation call 000.
Yes. Blocked gutters and downpipes make water back up during heavy rain. NSW SES advises cleaning gutters, downpipes and drains before storms so they do not block. You can book a gutter clean with us.
You might. Approval requirements can depend on the council area, the tree and the work being proposed. Check the current requirements for your own council on our Council Tree Removal Rules Sydney page. We do not decide council requirements or guarantee an approval outcome.
Do the ground-level jobs you safely can — clear the gutters if you have safe access, move loose items, put away the green waste — and book the tree work as soon as you can. If a tree is already unsafe, contact us and describe it.
Yes. We provide planned tree work Sydney-wide. Tell us your suburb and the property details so we can prepare a quote. You can see where we work on our Service Areas page.
Keep everyone clear of the area and do not try to move large tree material. A fallen tree, a hanging limb or a tree resting on a structure is emergency tree work.
Related reading
How to Reduce Storm Damage Risk to Trees in Sydney
Longer-term maintenance planning that can reduce risk.
Top 5 Signs You Need Emergency Tree Removal in Sydney
How to tell the difference between "book it in" and "call now".
Top Quality Tree Services
Get the tree work booked before the next storm
Tell us your suburb, which tree it is, what the branches sit over. We will use that to prepare a free quote.
CALL 0412 482 430